The situation between tight end Martellus Bennett and the Green Bay Packers isn’t cooling down. Not even a little bit.
Less than two weeks after being released by the Packers for allegedly failing to disclose an injury, Bennett continues to face an onslaught from his former teammates. This time, it was Green Bay safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix who took aim at Bennett, claiming the tight end flat-out quit on the team.
“At the end of the day you have to think of it as a business,” Clinton-Dix told the Wisconsin State Journal. “Me, personally? I thought he quit on us. I don’t fault him, but I did think he quit on us. He let us down — as a teammate. For a guy that came in, of his caliber, his leadership quote-unquote, I expected more from him. I held him to a higher standard, me personally. But he handled it the way he wanted to handle it.
“That Marty stuff, I’m glad we got it out of the way. It’s time to move on.”
While the Packers claim Bennett failed to disclose a shoulder injury, the veteran insists the team was fully aware of the injury and wanted him to play through it. Bennett took specific aim at Green Bay’s team doctor, Dr. Patrick McKenzie, in a series of Instagram posts.
Since Bennett’s Instagram tirade, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, wide receiver Jordy Nelson and linebacker Clay Matthews have all come to McKenzie’s defense. Matthews went as far as to say the entire team got a good “laugh” out of the Bennett situation.
Immediately following his release, Bennett was claimed off of waivers and awarded to the New England Patriots. He passed his physical and played in the team’s Week 10 game, hauling in three receptions for 38 yards.
Although the NFL does not plan to investigate the Patriots for tampering, Green Bay will reportedly attempt to recoup some of Bennett’s $6.3 million signing bonus.
